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OWINGS MILLS, Maryland – The COVID-19 outbreak in Baltimore resulted in the Ravens-Steelers game being postponed until Wednesday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It becomes the first game of the NFL season to be postponed three times.
The Week 12 game between the Ravens and Steelers that was originally scheduled for Thanksgiving night – and was moved to Sunday and then Tuesday night – has been moved again.
After nine straight days of at least one player testing positive for COVID-19 this week, the Ravens intended to travel to Pittsburgh on Monday night to avoid a blizzard. But the game between rivals AFC North has been moved for the third time in six days.
For the Ravens, Monday may have been the strangest day in what has been one of the toughest weeks in franchise history. The players had made their way to the team’s facilities about a half an hour before the scheduled 9:30 a.m. practice when the NFL canceled it to await the final test results, a source said. The Ravens have waited most of the day not knowing if they are training again this afternoon and boarding a plane to take on the NFL’s only undefeated team.
Baltimore is in the midst of one of the biggest epidemics in professional sports. The Ravens have had 22 players tested positive or have been identified as high risk close contact in the past nine days. Baltimore currently has 35 players on its 53-player roster.
At least a dozen Ravens players have tested positive, including reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, as well as five Pro Bowl players: defensive end Calais Campbell, tight end Mark Andrews, outside linebacker Matthew Judon, running back Mark Ingram and full back Patrick Ricard.
Andrews, Judon, wide receiver Willie Snead IV and cornerback Terrell Bonds were placed on the reserve / COVID-19 list on Monday afternoon, the team said. The team also activated four players from the roster: linebacker Jaylon Ferguson, goaltender DJ Fluker, cornerback Iman Marshall and defensive tackle Broderick Washington. Marshall will return to the injured reserve.
The Ravens now have 35 players in their 53-man roster after goaltender Tire Phillips (shoulder) was activated out of the injured reserve and cornerback Davontae Harris was officially signed.
The Ravens’ test results on Monday produced a new positive test result, but he’s an injured player who hasn’t had close contact with anyone else, a source told ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
The only other game this season that had already been postponed twice was a Week 5 game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots. Positive coronavirus tests in New England pushed this game from October 11 to October 12 before being played on October 18.
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